Dragon Friend (sequel to the dragon boy) Chapter 26 - Or Is It?...
frostcup fanfic
Authors note: oh gosh... The last... Final... Penultimate... No more after this... Chapter. Oh gosh this had been such a journey I don't want it to end! TwT here we go then- Ill see you at the end.
He let out a sigh, as he leaned against a pine tree, thinking about all the days hard work. He let his head thump against the trunk. Chief to be was not an easy job, and that on top of his head of the academy role, it left him with very little free time.
In whatever free time he did have, he found himself taking more and more flights into the wilderness with Toothless. It was great to escape from the mad Viking village for a while. He needed that now more than ever.
He looked back at Toothless. The dragon was nuzzling around the bottom of a tree- he'd probably found some animal den of some kind. For some reason, today his Night Fury had decided to not go flying, and landed after a minute or two in the air. Thus the unexpected walk.
Still, he didn't mind it. It was quite peaceful under the trees. He wished it could be like this more often. He tried to make the most of his free time, but he never felt like he properly relaxed when he had it. No one else was ever free to spend it with him, so it was often a little lonesome- even with Toothless.
He looked at the snow covering the forest and, not for the first time, wondered where his icy friend was. He hadn't forgotten him. It was just approaching a year since their farewell, and still he thought about him. That was good, Hiccup thought, he didn't ever want to forget him.
Truth be told, he still missed his white haired, trouble making friend, and his funny sense of humour. He'd brighten up any day- no matter how hard a day of chiefing stuff he'd had.
What would he do if he were here, he wondered. A broad smile spread across his face as he contemplated it. He'd declare he needed some playtime, and invent some kind of game for them to play. Probably a snowball fight, he decided, looking at all the white fluff surrounding him. Perhaps an aerial one- they actually did that once, Jack had owned every one of the riders.
His grin grew as he recalled the memory. Yeah, that was what he'd do...
He pushed off from the tree, a small branch depositing a small clump of snow on his head. It made him smile, as he shivered slightly, rubbing it off the back of his head. This was perfect Jack weather- he'd be all over this snow. It was a shame he wasn't here to enjoy it...
He bowed his head- there was no use going on thinking about these maybes and would have beens. He wasn't here. He wouldn't magically appear and take away all his stress and exhaustion from all the duties of chiefdom. He'd have to figure out a way to cope on his own. He didn't know how the Sky Dragon had coped with it for three centuries.
A weird whooshing noise drew his attention. Toothless had sneezed. The unexpected sound made him smile again. In fact, looking at the dragon reminded him of the whole reason they were out here in the first place.
A dragon race was taking place in about ten to fifteen minutes, and his dad had given him some time to warm up- it wasn't any secret that he rooted for Team Toothless. He should probably start doing some actual warming up. It would be starting in about ten minutes- or so he guessed.
He strode towards his Night Fury, ready to mount up, then froze.
The sound of whistling echoed through the pines.
It reminded him of the Sky Dragon. How, in the year before last, he'd caught Stoick whistling (or had it been Gobber, he couldn't quite remember) and had become mildly obsessed with learning the skill for the remainder of the winter. He never managed to learn the trick of it, though.
He listened.
The sound was soft and gentle, but at the same time crystal clear. You could identify every note, but it flowed together, seamlessly. He recognised the tune.
A good few months ago, when his mother and father had been getting used to being together again, his father had whistled that exact same tune. He hadn't been sure if Valka still cared for him, and she'd been unsure of the same. Through that song, they'd confirmed it to each other. They did still care.
It had been a beautiful moment, watching them reaffirm their love for each other, but who was whistling it now?...
The tune reached its end, and a voice took up the song, but the words were altered slightly. Hiccup's eyes widened. He knew that voice. Yes he'd never heard it sing before- and he'd never heard him whistle before- but he knew it was him... and he struggled believe it.
"I'll swim and sail 'cross savage seas... With ne'er a fear of drowning."
The song had great relevance to the singer, and the one he was singing to. He always had been afraid of the ocean.
"... And gladly ride the winds of life..." Hiccup smiled "the winds of life"... he flew those well... but, wait- he wasn't going to carry on with the next line, was he?
"If you are there with me."
Hiccup smiled, and turned to face the singer. The words so perfectly matched them.
He looked at the boy, who smiled back. How long had it been since he'd seen those mischievous, twinkling eyes?... Far too long.
They stared at each other. It really had been too long- he never really realised how much hed hated that goodbye- but what to say after such a long time.
"So you finally learnt to whistle, then." He started. Jack nodded.
"Yeah. North taught me." He replied. Well they'd hit a dead end with that conversation, but he had to keep it going. He wanted to make the most of talking to him- being with him- before he had to go away again. He wanted to keep him here for as long as possible.
"Where did you hear that song?" He asked. Surely he hadn't heard it from Stoick and Valka, right? He'd probably heard it from some other village... But... now that he thought about it... had he felt a light chill at some point that night, even though it had been spring heading for summer? No... surely.
Jack looked down at his feet, awkwardly.
"Well, er... I kind of... overheard your dad, and I thought... it kinda fitted." Wait, he'd been there! He'd come back to Berk- more than that, he'd stood outside Hiccup's house, probably even watching from the window, and he never told him?! Did he have any idea how much he missed him?! Even so soon after the goodbye, he had so badly wanted to see him again. He thought he was gone forever, but he'd been there all along... and he never even thought to say hi.
"You saw that." He noticed. Jack nodded, his expression hard to read even for Hiccup- shame, sadness... perhaps fear? Then, he suddenly realised, it wasn't the only time. He didn't know how he knew, but he just felt it. Something in Jack's eyes told him.
All this time, he'd been watching him... and he never even knew he was there... Why? Didn't he want to speak with him?! Didn't he want to go flying together again?!
The truth was that he did. Even moreso than Hiccup. He so badly wanted to show himself, and spend some time with his friend... but he was afraid.
He thought Hiccup didn't want him- didn't want to see him. So he'd kept his distance... Or he'd tried. He just kept drawing his Sky Dragon buddies back towards Berk- he could never stay away from it for more than a few weeks- and eventually, it had been them that had confronted him about it. Telling him to go and speak to the young Viking... and then they'd said the impossible: if he kept wanting to go back to Berk so badly, why not stay?
So he'd come.
It felt so good to see him again. But, at the same time, he was terrified of getting rejected.
"All this time... you were there." Hiccup muttered. But why?! Why had he just watched without a single hello- a little glimpse of him, to let him know he was there... and why now why show himself now? Why was he here?
"What are you doing here?" He asked. The boy suddenly looked worried, even sad.
"Well... I thought... I just..." His voice trailed off.
Hiccup looked at him, curiously. What could have possibly kept him away for so long?
"I just had to see you again." He muttered. "...And I know I'm not a Night Fury. I've not known you as long as Mr Stormseeker. I'm not the Alpha, I'm not I'm not the favourite." Hiccup listened to him, stunned. Jack felt inadequate. The impossible Sky Dragon thought he wasn't good enough for Hiccup. The word "favourite" stood out. He'd heard that?! He didn't mean to hurt him with it- Toothless was his favourite, but he was special to him in a different way. Jack continued. "I've not been there for you like I should. I'm not your riding dragon, I'm not your first dragon... and perhaps you've already got one... but... if you want me..." He couldn't bring himself to finish. The fear of getting pushed away overwhelming him.
So that was it, Hiccup realised. He thought he didn't want him! Why, in Thor's name, would he think that?! He thought about their last conversation together, the things he'd said to him. He'd made him think he was pushing him away... Oops. He almost felt bad about it, but really?! After everything they'd been through! How could he ever push him away?!
He shook his head.
"You think I didn't want you?" He said, smiling. Jack looked up at him, confused, but with the beginnings of hope in his eyes. "After you've stolen my leg, slapped me on the head, covered me in snow, and given me about five hundred heart attacks?" He grinned. A smile was beginning to spread on Jack's face now, but he still looked unsure. "Well I'm not a fancy Sky Dragon. I can't fly, or control ice. I often say stuff I don't mean, talk with my hands a lot, and, like an idiot, I pushed away one of my best friends... But the academy's always got room for another dragon... or rider." He pointed out.
Jack looked up at him, barely able to believe it.
"You... you want me." He muttered. He blew out a shaky breath of relief, and took another, face full of shock. Hiccup almost laughed- he was so stupid with some things. Of course he wanted him! "You want me!" His face split into an expression of such joy, Hiccup felt his own spirits soar- and soon the rest of him soon joined them.
Jack leapt up into the air, taking flight so fast the wind knocked Hiccup off his feet. But, he didn't hit the ground. The wind caught him, and started pushing him up, with the Sky Dragon, high up into the air.
The wind beat hard about his ears, as he flailed about. It was absolutely terrifying! He laughed into the air. How high up was he? He looked down. Berk was already just a tiny smudge of brown below them. Say what?! How on earth how they got so high so fast?!
A dragon bumped up underneath him- a black one. His pink tongue rattling about, wildly, in the wind. That's why the dragon didn't take him flying- he was in on the whole thing! He almost gave him a scolding, but he doubted he could even hear himself they were travelling so fast. He looked down again. He couldn't even see Berk anymore.
He doubted he'd even be breathing right now, if not for the Sky Dragon, they were so high up. Where was he taking him?
They suddenly broke through a layer of cloud, and into, what looked like, another world. The sun illuminating all the layers of clouds, passing through each one slightly. The clouds surrounding them from all angles, except from above. Above them was a infinitely large space of blue. The openess of it... the sheer size... the sense of freedom! There was unlimited space in all directions. It was incredible!
"This is like twice as high as me and Toothless have ever gone." He told the white dragon, who almost blended in with the clouds- if not for the glittering of the frost on his scales. Jack grinned.
'...and it's about twice as low as the highest I've ever gone.' Show off, Hiccup thought. But at the same time, he was amazed. Jack had travelled four times higher than he ever had... and this around him... It was unbelievable, but he wasn't about to say that.
"This is where you normally hang around?" He guessed.
'Not bad, huh.' He smirked, waiting for the comment of "wow, this so incredible! You are so amazing!". Hiccup didn't oblige. He looked around again.
"That's one way of putting it." He said.
'Catch.' Jack suddenly burst out. Wait, what?!
Hiccup lunged for the little blur that sped towards him... and fell out the saddle.
He hung upside down by his metal leg.
The white dragon calmly flipped over, and smirked at him.
'You did that on purpose!' He accused.
'Maybe.' Came the nonchanlamt response. He looked down, and possibly yelped like a little girl.
Endless nothing stretched below him, as he hung precariously from the saddle.
"You wouldn't hurt a little, scrawny..." The Sky Dragon just blinked, looking mildly amused, so he changed tact. "Alright, fine! You are awesome, this is amazing. Happy now?" He asked.
'Yup.' Jack replied smugly and reached out a wing to lift him upright.
Hiccup looked down, at the thing in his hand. He'd just about caught the tiny item, as it flew towards him.
"And what would you have done if I'd dropped it?" He told him. Jack snorted.
'If your Night Fury couldn't catch it after five minutes of falling, he'd be a poor excuse for a Stormseeker.'
"Five minutes!" Hiccup repeated- it had only took them two to get here.
'Give or take the odd second that I didn't count 'cos I would've crashed.' He muttered. He actually counted. Of course he did. He gestured the thing he'd thrown to him. Hiccup looked at it.
It was a little wooden piece. Painted on it, a white dragon and a black one stood either side of a boy- who bore a striking resemblance to its holder (right down to the metal half leg, and the stupid, little braids he hated, but kept lest he risk death by Astrid). He had a hand on either dragons shoulders, who's tails interlocked. He knew what it was.
'You figured it out?' Jack asked. They both knew the answer.
Hiccup nodded, still looking at it.
'You know, we don't normally give these to humans.' Jack said. 'But for the ones we do... we call them the dragon friends.'
Hiccup looked at him, amazed by the coincidence. That's who he was! He'd befriended a dragon, brought peace between them and his people, and done everything to keep it. Toothless' description of himself as "Hiccups-friend" helped him describe who he was. He was, in essence, a friend to dragons.
He looked at his Sky Dragon friend- who also made him who he was.
'You sure you want me?' Jack asked, like he still couldn't believe it. 'Like forever?' Woah forever?! It sounded great and everything, but what about when it got warm?
"What about the weather? It's not going to be winter forever." He pointed out.
Unexpectedly, Jack smiled at that.
'Blame your Night Fury.' He grinned. 'Thanks to him, heat doesn't bother me the same, so it looks like you're stuck with me.' Hiccup couldn't believe it. He could actually stay! He wouldn't have to leave again!
"But, wait, what about the others? Don't you need them?" He asked.
'I'm sure they can visit. Besides... Berk's my real home.' He said, with such certainty Hiccup was touched. He'd spent so long searching for his Sky Dragon family... and he'd chosen him over them. He'd chosen Berk as his home. Wait, Berk!
The race! He was gonna end up forfeiting it!
"Toothless, the race!" He reminded him. The dragon's eyes widened, as they dropped down. Hiccup felt like he was getting peeled off the saddle. Five minutes.
Some part of him registered that the Sky Dragon was folowing them, the rest of him was too busy urging them to go faster. Come on, come on, they were going to be late!
The island of Berk slowly grew beneath them...
He picked out the tiny, moving figures of the assembled riders and dragons...
Just as the horn sounded, they whooshed past the start. The dive actually gave them a pretty impressive, and useful, boost. The race had begun.
Right, looking for sheep... looking for sheep... Why did snow have to be so darn white?! He groaned.
There! He spotted one, and steered Toothless towards it. The Night Fury's claws reached out... and went straight through.
What, in Odin's name?! Snow was thrown everywhere, as the sheep shaped mound broke apart. Hiccup heard a familiar chuckling in the back of his mind. Oh that little... Hiccup laughed. This was going to be brilliant! What other surprises did he have in store? He heard a whooping, and looked round.
He saw a Nadder made of ice flying about, a not-so-little Viking on her back.
"Go Raptorslash!" She yelled. Freya had been wanting to take part in a race ever since they created them, and now she was finally competing.
A broad smile spread across his face, as they approached another sheep. Second time lucky. Yes, it was a real one! No! Freya blitzed him, nabbing his sheep.
Third time lucky. He shot towards Astrid, sprouting his leather wings as he got close... She got distracted with Toothless... Got it! He yanked it out of her grasp, and jumped back onto his dragon.
Yes! Hold on... a clump of snow came away in his hand, revealing a patch of black wool. No way... the black sheep!
He threw a fist into the air, thanked Astrid for the sheep, then zipped towards the nets.
Freya was approaching them with him, but, before either if them got there, a white dragon whipped past. WHOA! Toothless dodged.
Ha! He missed!
'Or did I?' He heard Jack thinking. What had he done? Never mind that, he had to get the sheep to get into his- woah! Avoid a hammer to the face from Snotlout... and yes! Drop the sheep!
He looked back. Hold on, where did that other net- no, wait, two other nets- come from. Next to the regular ones were two extra nets, and labelling boards. One made of twinkling, transparent ice- the other covered in pure, white frost. But it wasn't that that caught his attention.
WHAT was THAT?! Hiccup thought, in outrage.
A series of icy curves above the nets, directed all the sheep towards the white net. Even as he watched, he saw his black sheep roll along the chute into the Sky Dragon's net.
Toothless growled, and shot an angry blast of blue flames at the chutes. They blew up with a satisfying bang.
A shadow flew by overhead. A certain Sky Dragon was smirking down at them. Hiccup smiled back, things on Berk were definitely going to get a whole lot more interesting. The Sky Dragon was here to stay.
He leant closer into the saddle.
Game on.
Authors note: so this is it! Gaaaaahhhhh! Oh that song for the dancing and the dreaming was so beautiful I just had to put it on there^^ you didn't think Id really seperate them did you? You guys said it yourselves- they care too much to say goodbye forever.
And you know... I was going to leave this here... End this entire story here but... Something one of you reviewed wih made me think... Does it have to be the end? So I came up with an idea- to create a new story full of a collection of oneshots and short stories all tied in with this story kinda like the TV series of Httyd- life at Berk with Jack here to stay I've only got a few ideas though but this is the best part!
This is where you amazing people come in! I want you to suggest me new ideas for this story- long ones short ones sweet ones dramatic ones whatever you can think of!
So this isn't goodbye to this story but rather just the end of another chapter. I will see you all in the next one (ooh but please note I will only be posting this after my other story which I just finished)
Thank you all Sooo much for being such amazing reviewers^^ every one of them has meant the world to me^^ so thank you.